Seat mutilation signal system



J y 10, 1951 H. J. BALLAM 2,560,268

SEAT MUTILATION SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed March 7, 1949 2 IN VENTOR.

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Patented July 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,560,268 SEAT MUTILATION SIGNAL SYSTEM Harold J. Ballam, New Orleans, La. Application March 7, 1949, Serial No. 80,012

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a detector and alarm s stem for use with chairs and seats, and is intended to give a signal near a chair or seat when the same is being defaced or destroyed. This occurs perhaps most often in moving-picture houses of the cheaper class where patrons cut the upholstery of seats with knives. No satisfactory way of dealing with such vandalism has been found, though various expedients have been tried, e. g., private detectives, who are, however, expensive and not very effective in preventing such damage.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple signaling means of the character described, which shall be effective on a larger number of seats, and in the use of which a single person, or a small number of persons, can observe the signals for a large number of seats.

Another object is to provide signaling means of the character described, in which the signal shall continue in action after the vandalism has stopped, as Where a boy thrusts his knife through a seat cushion and then immediately withdraws it and does not repeat the operation.

Referring to the annexed drawings, which are made a part of this application and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts:

Fig. l is a perspective of a row of seats equipped with the device of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation, with the seat partly broken away.

In the drawings, reference character H3 indicates a seat or chair such as commonly used in theaters, it being understood that any conventional or preferred seat may be used, so long as it is otherwise adapted to have my invention applied to it. Several chairs with independent seats are usually but not necessarily arranged in a row as shown.

The chairs are shown as being seats here shown as fixed and comprising cushions that may be padded at ll and covered with upholstery 12. Inside the cushion and preferably parallel to but spaced from the top upholstery l2 and the bottom supporting layer 13 there are two sheets 14 and I5 of screen wire or any suitable material to serve for conducting electricity. The screens extend preferably from side to side and from front to rear of each cushion, so that any stab or cut of substantial depth will strike both of them and connect them electrically if made by a knife blade or like object.

A layer [6 of insulating material is interposed 4 between the screens, this layer being preferably signal (or both) suitably remote point, as in the managers office.

The conductor I7 extends to a holding circuit comprising a relay 2! and a switch 22, the winding of the relay continuing through bulbs l8 and I9 and electromagnet 23 and then to transto line ll should be broken, so that the circuit to the signals also remains closed until manually broken, as by manual operation of switch 22 or by turning off the entire system and so releasing all circuits.

while the light H3 at the end the row in which that seat is located.

The electromagnet 23 operates a switch 27, which when moved clockwise thereby closes a circuit through line 28 to operate a light, a buzzer or other signal remote from the seats so as to notify the manager or other person in authority that a certain seat or seats are being mutilated.

of a row indicates specification, but only pended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

being embedded in said cushion and lying close to the upholstery over the top and the sides of the same, signaling means on a fixed support adjacent the cushion, and electrical connections from said sheets to said signaling means.

2. The combination of a seat, a cushion therefore, said cushion including padding and up holstery covering the padding, a pair of sheets of electrically conductive material embedded in the padding adjacent the upholstery, a layer of insulation between sheets an electrically oper- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 587,931 Coleman Aug. 10, 1897 1,096,526 Brunig May 12, 1914 1,229,473 Keenan June 12, 1917 1,657,191 Barret Jan. 24, 1928 1,712,771

Kohler May 14, 1929 

